Be it any age, using the right communication will always make a difference, especially when it comes to children. Apart from spending quality time with them, the way you talk with them also matters. Since kids spend the majority of their time with their parents, parents need to pay attention to how they talk or behave in front of them. Some parents may miss the slight details while interacting with their kids or while teaching them life skills. Thus, as a parent, if you want to improve the way you communicate, then here are some tips for effective communication with children A] Tips to Improving Communication With Children Acknowledge Their Feelings: Empathy is one of the most powerful emotions. Your comforting response can cheer someone up, especially a child. When you acknowledge and validate your children’s feelings, it gives them a sense of comfort and boosts confidence. The feelings may involve both positive and negative emotions such as anger, joy, or disappointment. When you validate their emotions, you are also teaching them to acknowledge them in other people. Besides acknowledging their feelings, you can encourage them to talk about them more often, which is an effective method of parents-children communication. Be a Good Listener: Every child wants to be heard & acknowledge as they talk about their day. When your child comes to you, give them your full attention and listen attentively to what they have to say. Ask them simple questions to get a better picture of what exactly do they think of a certain situation and discuss it with them. By being a good listener, you are improving your child’s self-worth. The best part, your children may become good listeners too, which is an important part of socializing. Provide Active Feedback: Active feedback contributes greatly to child development. Hence, make sure to give feedback, more likely positive and constructive feedback, that encourages them to do better. You can start by celebrating their efforts, as they take up a challenge, irrespective of the results. Along the way, you can also offer them a few suggestions or tips that will help them obtain better results. Use the Right Words: As they learn to speak, sometimes children may not be able to articulate themselves well, or they may mix up words while speaking. Now, you may find this extremely adorable, but it's best not to get carried away. Make sure you use the correct words with good vocabulary and pronunciation while speaking to them. Children are keen learners and can quickly pick up words. Thus, always use appropriate words while talking. Also, the usage of positive words for kids is highly advisable. Try to Look Through Their Perspective: Children will find it easier to connect and understand others’ perspectives while growing up if their thoughts, feelings, and experiences are valued & understood. Understanding their perspective and looking at things from your child’s eye will make them feel accepted, which plays a vital role in overall child growth and development. If their opinions are ignored, they might feel neglected or left out. This can hurt them and affect their self-esteem & personality, making them reserved and less expressive as they grow up. Use a Polite Tone: Raising kids with good manners is important, and communication is the key here. Make your child understand how yelling or speaking aggressively is not the right thing to do. Teach them to use polite words instead of harsh criticism or sarcasm and while you teach them, make sure to use a gentle tone yourself. Compliment them politely on their actions when they follow your advice. It will make them feel confident and assured that they are on the right path. You can also look up polite words for kids over the internet and come up with fun games that include them using such words. Check out our blog to learn about the other effective tips to enhance your child’s habits. Use Gestures While Talking: Gestures are a good way of communicating with children as it keeps them well engaged during the conversation. Instead of only hearing the words, they will also be able to see them. Using gestures while talking also helps kids understand the right meaning of the words, interpreting them correctly. The tone of your voice also plays an active role here. So, make sure to use a gentle tone while speaking to them. Conclusion Even if we keep hearing it repeatedly, we tend to forget that communication is the key to building a strong relationship between children and parents. When you start communicating effectively and making it relatable, your child will learn to reciprocate. The changes may seem slow. But, over time, your child will be able to communicate effortlessly. Thus, paving the way for healthy conversations as they transition from children to teens to young adults.
Here is everything to know about effective communication with children. Follow these tips to improve your communication with kids.
